Rotary steam-engine



G. H. POND. ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

No. 98,626. Patented Jan. 4, 1870.

UNITED STATES G. H. POND, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 98,626,-datcd anuary 4, 1870.

ments without further invention or experiment.

g The nature and object of my invention are theconstruction of an improved steam-engine, the novelty of which consists, first, in so con structing it that water is introducedto the cyl- V inders and there converted into vapor; secondly, in placing the cylinders at the point where the poweris needed-namely, at the circumference of the circle in which they travel; and, lastly, in causing the cylindersto revolve into a. bath of fluid metal, which serves as a packing and renders the engine perfectly steamtight. The cylinders are form ed within a drum and near its periphery, this drum revolving in a case which is filled with hot fluid metal to near the height of the journals of the drum. Water is admitted to the cylinders through a central hollow shaft, and immediately flashes into vapor just as one end of the cylinder emerges from the metal. This end has a valve which is instantly closed by the pressure of the steam, while the other end, being entirely open and the cylinder beingfree of metal, it is forced around till the open end rises'above the surface, when the steam is free to exhaust.

To more fully illustrate my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through w .10, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section. Fig. 3 is a view of the device for regulating the cut-off. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the cylinder-drum and the supply-shalt.

A is a case of metal, made with. a fire-chamber, B, beneath, and having fluesG or other known device for producing the necessary heat. Within this case the cylinder-drum D rotates upon its axle E. In the construction here shown I have employed four cylinders, two'in each side of the drum, and placed at right angles to each other. The drum maybe cast, and the cylinders or driving-chambers F F are simply. formed by a core, so asto leave them as curved chambers, close to the periphery of the drum and open at each end, At one end of each chamber I place a valve, G, the one here shown being simply hinged, although I do not wish to confine myself to this particular valve. The outer face of the drum D is turned perfectly smooth, so that it wvill rotate freely and not carry the metal with it. y

The axle E is made hollow'for a part of its length, and the smaller hollow shaft H is placed in the opening, extending far enough to allow the supply-ports t a, Fig. 5, to stand opposite the two sides of the drum D. The shaft H is held in place by the adjustable strap I, the ends of which may be raised 'andlowered, so as to rotate the shaft a little, and thus determine the point at which the water shall be admitted to the chamber.

Various other modifications of the valve may be used, as a cap fitting against the end of the shaft E, having two holes, through which water passes alternately to one side and the other of the drum tosupply steam to the chambers F, and in either form the cut-oil may he regulated so as to increase or diminish the size of the port.

The ports or passages J extend through the axle E and the drum to a point .in the chambers F near the valve, and as the drum rotates and one of these passages is brought'opposite the port a, a small quantity of water will be introduced, and will be instantly changed into steam by theheat of thecylinder or drum turning in the hot liquid metal. This metal fills the case A to a point near the journals of the drum E, and as theend of the chamber emerges from it the pressure of the steam closes the valve and forces .the drum to revolve. The

,liquid 'metal stands at the same level within and without the drum, and thus malies the chambers perfectly tight till the end opposite the valve emerges, when the steam exhausts. A similar operation takes place in allthe chambers, which gives the drum a continuous ro tar-y motion. The amount of effective pressure per square inch at the peripheryof the drum will depend upon the specific gravity of M W m r 0, around the shaft.

Q I p 95,626 I the metal used and the size of the drum, and consequent depth to which the chambers are immersed.

As thejournals are subjected to aconsiderable degree of heat, it would be impossible to use ordinarylubrieants. I therefore construct a box, K, which is bolted to the side of the case, and is counterbored so as toleave a space, This space is filled with plum bago, pressed or tam ped in so as to be perfectly solid, and acap, d, is then screwed on from the outside to keep it in place. The refractory nature oftheplumbago preserves itag'ainst the heat, and its consistency is such that it will not heat by friction, even in ordinary journals.

Having thus'described my invention, what I claim, and desire'to secure by Letters Patout, is----- 1. vaporizing the liquid within the engine at the moment of its use by the continuous concentric chan'ibcrs 11 F, substantially as herein described.

2. Theuse of a fluid-metal pz'tckingforsteam, air, or gas engines, substantially as described. 3. The drum D, rotating partly out of.and

partly in the fluid inetal,and having the chain- G. H. POND. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

G. H. STRONG, J. L. Booms. 

